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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28539720">500 Years in the Making</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReapersAngel/pseuds/ReapersAngel'>ReapersAngel</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>And The World Will Turn To Ash (Pokemon Fan Comic) - Fandom, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pokemon - Fandom, Pokemon GO, Pokemon: And The World Will Turn To Ash, Surfacage - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, And the World Will Turn to Ash (Pokemon Fan Comic), Angst probably, Backstory, Blanche (Pokemon) POV, Candela (Pokemon) POV, Canon Backstory, Childhood, Childhood Memories, Childhood Trauma, Completed, Disclaimer: Credits to Nintendo and Niantic and Pokemon and surfacage, More tags to be added, Multi, Nonbinary Blanche, Nonbinary Blanche (Pokemon), Nonbinary Character, Nonbinary Noire, Nonbinary Noire (Pokemon: And The World Will Turn To Ash), Nonbinary!Blanche, Nonbinary!Noire, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Alternating, POV Multiple, Pokemon Egg, Pokemon Eggs, Quote from Criminal Minds, Spark (Pokemon) POV, Surfacage, Team Instinct (Pokemon), Team Mystic (Pokemon), Team Valor (Pokemon), They/Them Pronouns for Blanche (Pokemon), They/Them Pronouns for Noire (Pokemon: And the World Will Turn to Ash), Threesome - F/M/Other, Title from Criminal Minds, nonbinary characters - Freeform, via surfacage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:41:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,866</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28539720</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReapersAngel/pseuds/ReapersAngel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Blanche had never really wanted a soulmate. / Spark had been too young to remember exactly when his words had appeared. / Candela remembered her bonding and her words vividly, like they’d both happened minutes ago.</p><p>A Blanche/Candela/Spark soulmate AU fic. Title stolen from one very precious Doctor Spencer Reid.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Amelie/Noire (Pokemon: And the World Will Turn to Ash), Blanche &amp; Annie (Pokemon: And The World WIll Turn To Ash), Blanche &amp; Candela &amp; Spark (Pokemon), Blanche &amp; Noire (Pokemon: And the World Will Turn to Ash), Blanche/Candela/Spark (Pokemon), Spark &amp; Matis | Lt. Surge, Spark &amp; Thunder | Zapdos</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Blanche</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>
  <i> There's an old Buddhist saying that, when you meet your soulmate, remember that the act to bring you together was 500 years in the making. So always appreciate and be kind to each other. (Doctor Spencer Reid, Criminal Minds) <i></i></i>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>  <i><br/><i>This particular soulmate AU is the one where the first thing you say to your soulmate is written on you somewhere in their handwriting! And not just the first thing you hear - it's the first thing they say <i>directly<i> to you.</i></i></i><br/></i></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Blanche had never really wanted a soulmate. Not really. And that was a fact.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When they were younger, all they had thought they’d need was Noire. Their twin was bright, fun, and Blanche was quiet and small. Nevertheless, they were inseparable.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Until that day. They still grimaced - it still caused the same twist of uncertainty whenever they thought about it. However much they had wanted to accept Professor Willow’s offer, the desire to stay with Noire was stronger by a thousandfold. They had almost declined then and there, and if Noire hadn’t pulled them away and encouraged them to go, they would have.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But they had gone with Professor Willow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They still kept in contact with Noire. They smiled, thinking of all the two am Eevee facts their twin had spammed over. Just as common as the Eevee facts were messages about their soulmate Amelie.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’d been seven, the day Noire’s words appeared, waiting outside the Saffron City Gym for their Auntie Sabrina - their guardian - to finish training. It was warm, and they’d been wearing short sleeves, so there had been nothing in the way as they’d both stared, entranced, as the words scrawled themselves into Noire’s right forearm.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>My name’s Amelie, Boss.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Noire had jumped up and down and pumped their fist in the air. “See, Blanche?!” They had exclaimed, “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>told </span>
  </em>
  <span>you I’d be great! They’re going to call me ‘Boss’! We’ll be great together!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sabrina had burst out of the gym, sensing their excitement. Blanche didn’t know if her psychic abilities had rubbed off on them, because to this day that had been the only glimpse. But it had been as clear as water - their twin, jumping up and down on the bench, grinning madly; theirself, sitting still on the bench, looking up at Noire with happiness and awe.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their own words had appeared at the age of twenty-two. No one knew when the words would appear - some speculated that it was random, others attributed it to fate, and more said that they appeared in a significant time in the person’s life. Just as mysterious was the location of the words. The only thing that was proven and agreed on was that the words would appear in your soulmate’s handwriting.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That day Blanche had been training their Vaporeon, Sushi - as he’d been so nicknamed by Team Mystic, and Blanche had at some point been using it, too - in the training pools. They’d been so focused that it wasn’t until they had changed out of their wetsuit and were showering that they noticed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’d noticed the words written across their palms first. Interestingly enough, the same penmanship reached across both their hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh. Oh wow.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Their left palm read.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You’re really beautiful</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Their right finished.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Blanche had felt oddly touched by some words a stranger had yet to say to them. Then they’d noticed the words curled around their right thigh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They had to maneuver themself into increasingly uncomfortable positions to read the whole of it, but it was worth it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh</span>
  </em>
  <span> hello</span>
  <em>
    <span> darling. Don’t worry about this one, he’s harmless.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Blanche definitely hadn’t been prepared for the low surge of jealousy. Who was this ‘he’? Just a friend? A romantic partner?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It had taken some very forceful mental shoving to push the thoughts from the forefront of their mind, and even then, they were there in the background, hanging on like stubborn pieces of tape.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Is this</span>
  </em>
  <span>, They had wondered, toweling off their hair as Sushi raced over to Annie for scritches, </span>
  <em>
    <span>what it’s like to have a soulmate?</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Spark</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Spark had been too young to remember exactly when his words had appeared. The only things he knew for certain was that they had appeared being Uncle Surge had taken him in, before Fearo- Zapdos! He meant Zapdos! - and the words themselves.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It had taken a while before he’d learned to read them, and even then, they were his firsts. Sometimes he’d trail his fingers along his thigh, or run them over his left shoulder and upper arm. He didn’t care if it looked weird, it was comforting. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Spark smiled when he realized he was doing it now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The one that wrapped around his right thigh said </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hey, sweetie. Oh, I can already tell I’ll </span>
  </em>
  <span>like</span>
  <em>
    <span> you.</span>
  </em>
  <span> His younger self hadn’t gotten the full meaning behind the words, just excited that whoever his soulmate was would like him, but it had come around eventually. The lines of the letters were thick, straight where they needed to be and curvy where they didn’t. He traced the looped end of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>y </span>
  </em>
  <span>in </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> absently.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The other, placed from his left shoulder to his elbow on his upper arm, was both smaller and shorter. Spark always had had the feeling that, if they could, the words would stretch further, down to the back of his hand. As it was, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Th-...   thank you. </span>
  </em>
  <span>didn’t have enough letters for that. The handwriting was neat, cursive - or cursive-</span>
  <em>
    <span>like</span>
  </em>
  <span> - like their other soulmate naturally wrote cleanly in readable font. There was a hint of scribble in it, though, like they also naturally wrote fast with a tint of hurried three am note-taking. Spark adored it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then along had come Professor Willow, who offered Spark a place as a research assistant. Spark had happily taken it up, loving being there for the part of the baby Pokémon’s lives. He’d known that Professor Willow also had other assistants, but he’d never met them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah,” He said, ruffling Donglord’s spiky fur as his Jolteon jumped on him. “I’ll stop thinking about the past now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Donglord hmphed, satisfied, and headbutted Spark’s side gently, careful with the Egg in his lap. Spark just put a hand protectively over the rounded top point of the Egg and scratched Donglord behind his ears.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Plural form of Pokémon???</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Candela</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Candela remembered her bonding and her words vividly, like they’d both happened minutes ago. Even after all this time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tradition dictated that the oldest of the next generation was to be the bonded of the Titan Moltres. She had been happy for her eldest brother, practically shining with it. After all, she was going to be the strongest trainer ever! She didn’t and </span>
  <em>
    <span>wouldn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> need Moltres for that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And the day had come for their family. The preparations were a blur, but she remembered Moltres touching down from the skies, an emblem of fire. Her brother had stepped up, and it had seemed like they’d had a silent conversation before Moltres touched its beak to his hair. Red and orange and yellow had leapt up, and throughout it all, she had thought it beautiful.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The eldest was always taught that the pain would pass, and that the strong should not scream, and hours later when the ceremony had ended and Moltres had vanished, Candela had sleepily asked her brother if the flame-shaped burn scars blinding his eyes hurt. He had smiled and said no.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The next day, there was nothing left of her older brother but a pile of ashes. Candela had stubbornly kept her tears at bay, up until the ceremony and dusk when her family summoned Moltres again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He was not right</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Moltres had said calmly, </span>
  <em>
    <span>The next one will be.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Candela’s father had stepped forward. “Take me,” He’d said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Moltres’ eyes passed over him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>No</span>
  </em>
  <span>, It said, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I will have her.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And with one flaming wing Moltres had pointed at her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The jaws of her family had dropped. Someone had protested, faintly, that it wasn’t her right, but Candela hadn't known who. She’d felt dizzy, like she’d been spinning for ages.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Little one</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Moltres had said, and Candela had realized it was talking only to her. She’d stepped forward, into the embrace of its wings, almost of her own accord.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>There is no need to fear me</span>
  </em>
  <span>, It had said, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I have no ill will towards you.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A few tears slipped out of her eyes. “Why?” It came out a whisper.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Moltres had pressed its beak to her hair, and she had had the feeling it was grooming her. </span>
  <em>
    <span>My siblings…  </span>
  </em>
  <span>It had hesitated. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I have not seen them in so long. But we will be together soon. And so will you.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Me?” She’d whispered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Moltres had smiled softly. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh yes</span>
  </em>
  <span>, It had said. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Now, Candela, will you accept our bond?</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Blanche</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Chief? Chief, wake up!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No.” Blanche pushed their hand vaguely in the direction of Annie’s voice. They hoped she’d go away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Chief. Wake up! The sun is shining, the Pidgeys are singing, and you. Have. Work!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No,” Blanche repeated, and attempted to roll away. Annie grabbed the blanket and pulled, sending them </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> Sushi tumbling to the floor.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t make me do the Thing,” She threatened. As Blanche groaned, slung Sushi under their arm, and sleepily trudged into their bathroom, she smiled, checking off the first item on the to-do.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Blanche hummed as the warm water cascaded over them. Sushi snored loudly from inside the sink, still not awake. To be fair, they barely were. They shuddered thinking about what ‘the Thing’ might have been this time. Last time, Annie had hidden their coat for a </span>
  <em>
    <span>month</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and the time before that she’d waited until Blanche had been completely swamped in work, and the next time they looked, Sushi had turned…    </span>
  <em>
    <span>fat</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It had taken…   </span>
  <em>
    <span>time</span>
  </em>
  <span> before Sushi had returned to normal size.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They stepped out of the steamy bathroom, toweling off their hair with Sushi slung like a scaly scarf around their neck, and found Annie with her tablet at the ready. She started listing off their schedule as they walked down the hall.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...oh, and Professor Willow’s arranged a meeting in two days. You’ll be meeting the leaders of Team Valor and Team Instinct.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Blanche stopped wringing out their hair. “Come again?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annie rolled her eyes, swiping sideways on her tablet. “You’ll be meeting the Team Valor and Team Instinct leaders two days from now. I can help you practice if you want.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Annie.” Taking a deep breath, they exhaled. It wouldn’t do any good to worry about the meeting now. They firmly pushed their nerves away. “But it won’t be needed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“All right,” Annie said. She scratched Sushi behind the ear before turning a corner. “See you later, Chief.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Blanche nodded with a brief wave as Annie disappeared. They continued on towards the labs. Absently they scratched at their palm, mildly surprised by the pulse in their arm and shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Articuno’s…    excited?</span>
  </em>
  <span> They thought, then realized it was true. The pulsing felt like a slightly elevated heartbeat, raised in anticipation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well,” They murmured, “This will be interesting.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Spark</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Spark, please,” Go sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, “They’ll be </span>
  <em>
    <span>fine</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Spark looked between him, the collection of incubators, and the clutch of Eggs in his arms. “But Go! Look, they’re so small, I can’t let them go! What if something happens?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Go sighed. Again. “Nothing will happen, you idiot,” He said exasperatedly. “They’re your own incubators! They’ll be perfectly safe.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Somewhat sadly Spark carefully loaded each of the incubators with an Egg. The tops whirred and spun and they hummed gently, the Eggs cradled safely away. Slowly, he stood up again. Donglord nipped at his heels, then leapt away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He laughed. “What’s got you so excited, buddy?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Donglord just jumped ahead excitedly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s probably because he knows something you don’t,” Go said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?! Go!” Spark exclaimed, “You kept a secret?! What else are you keeping from me?! Is Velcro actually a Ditto? Can you sing like a Jigglypuff? Did you get a tattoo?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What? No!” Go glared at him for a moment. “It’s only a meeting tomorrow. Professor Willow set it up so all you team leaders can meet finally.” He shook his head. “I’m surprised you guys haven’t run into each other yet or anything.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Me too.” Now that Spark thought about it, it </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> a little weird that he hadn’t met the other team leaders yet. Rumors, sure - both about the cool, calm, and collected Mystic leader and the flirty, attractive, raring Valor leader - but no personal occurrences, or anything concrete. Not even names, which was even weirder - unless Go had told him, and he was off distracted, tending to Eggs or something.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh!” He said, startled. Lightning suddenly raced through his blood, thrumming in a hot, fast beat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What is it?” Go asked worriedly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Zapdos,” Spark said. He could feel the electricity prickling in the corners of his mind, crackling in his palms, and the taste of ozone was strong and heavy on his tongue.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think he’s excited.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Candela</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The day after her bonding, Candela had woken from a dream of fire. It hadn’t burned, but there was an odd tingling sensation that followed her out into the waking world. She’d reached down to rub the still-fresh burn scar winding around her thigh when she saw it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her words had appeared.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eagerly she devoured the words on her left forearm. It wasn’t an unusual place for words, but it felt like it should reach to her shoulder…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>O-oh. I…</span>
  </em>
  <span> It read.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She’d reached over, spellstruck, to trace the words with her fingertips, and started at the lettering on her palms. She raised her hands to inspect them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Yeah</span>
  </em>
  <span>, the left one said, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>I know. </span>
  </em>
  <span>on the right.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Huh,” She had muttered, “Two soulmates.” Then she grinned, clutching her hands to her chest. It felt like the world. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She’d dressed hastily and raced outside. “Mom, look!” She bared her forearm and opened her fingers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But her mother’d just turned away. Puzzled, she tried to show one of her brothers, but he ignored her. A piece of her cracked as she turned to her grandmother. “Grandma…?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her grandmother too had turned away, her cane a rhythmic </span>
  <em>
    <span>tap tap tap</span>
  </em>
  <span> as she walked out the door. With her free hand, she made a gesture, and after a moment, Candela followed her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s going on, Grandma?” She’d asked in confusion.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her grandmother had shaken her head. “Pack your bags, Del,” She said. Her face was gently, completely at odds with her set and grim tone. “Pack everything. You won’t be coming back.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Scared, Candela had raced back inside and hurriedly shoved her clothes, her secret stash of stacks, her laptop, her phone, her items, her birthday money, and everything else that she could think of into her suitcase, then her duffel bag that she used for gym, then her backpack that she used when she went out. Finally, she grabbed Artemis’ Pokéball and, with a quick apology, recalled the Growlithe. She clipped it to her belt and ran out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No one’d even noticed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her grandmother had taken her to a train station and together they boarded a train to Opal City. They didn’t talk, and Candela passed the time between worrying and watching the scenery fly past as it changed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Finally, several hours later they’d gotten off. Opal City was foreign to Candela, but her grandma walked like she knew the streets by heart.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They eventually had stopped at a large building, and her grandmother had turned to her. She pressed an envelope into her hands and released an Eevee.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is Ares,” She’d said, giving the Eevee’s Pokéball to her, “She’ll take care of you.” She gestured to the envelope. “Tell them that you have a personal letter for Professor Willow. Only he can see that letter. He has black and white hair. Understand, Del?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Candela had said. Tears sprang to her eyes. “But Grandma, where are you going?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her grandmother had just smiled sadly. “I’m going to face your family,” She’d said. They’d embraced, and Candela had watched her disappear down unfamiliar streets. Then, after recalling Ares, she’d headed inside.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Miss Candela? Are you well?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Candela jumped and shook the rest of her thoughts off. “Fine, Charles,” She said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Carl just raised a concerned eyebrow. “I hope so.” He cleared his throat. “I’m sure the meeting’s started by now. Good luck.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Candela said. She watched him wheel away, and mustering up the same resolve as all those years ago, headed inside.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Blanche</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay, so for these last three chapters they'll be from Blanche's/Spark's/Candela's POVs respectively, taking place roughly at the same time. Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Blanche stood at the door, a mixture of formality, nervousness, and politeness steeling their shoulders into a posture dancing instructors would weep and swoon at.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Annie glanced at her tablet. “It’s time, Chief.” With a cheeky salute, she left Sushi, them, and their anxiety there.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Blanche inhaled, exhaled. Sure, socializing wasn’t their forte, but they would at least </span>
  <em>
    <span>try</span>
  </em>
  <span>. If only for the self-imposed reward of staying up late to read.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sushi mrrped at them worriedly and made a stupid expression in hopes that it would cheer them up. Blanche glanced down  and realized that the door handle had frosted over. They frowned, thinking </span>
  <em>
    <span>That wasn’t me</span>
  </em>
  <span> just as their body temperature plunged.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Articuno gave them a mental nudge. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Go on, little one.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Blanche sighed and, knowing that they couldn’t stall any further, pushed open the door. They followed Sushi inside.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Professor Willow looked up from a desk. “Ah, Blanche. Good to see you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They dipped their head. “Likewise, Professor.” Their eyes roamed the room until they found and locked onto the other occupants.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a tall, muscular blond leaning against the edge of the ring of amphitheatre-like seats, and across from him a lean and curvy brunette kicked her legs into open air from where she was sitting on a table. They studied them as Articuno trilled inside of them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The blond’s jaws dropped. “Oh,” He said, “Oh wow. You’re really beautiful.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Blanche felt their face heat up and their palms started tingling with what felt like static. “Th-...   thank you,” They said quietly, ducking their head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The blond’s eyes widened, and he seemed to come to the same realization Blanche had. The brunette, seeming oblivious, slipped off the table and leaned against the blond. She linked her arm through his and purred. “Oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>hello </span>
  </em>
  <span>darling. Don’t worry about this one, he’s harmless.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Blanche felt like they might collapse or pass out and reached out to steady themselves against a chair. Their face felt like fire, and not-really-oddly enough, so did their thigh. “O-oh. I…” </span>
  <em>
    <span>...know.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The brunette’s mouth formed a small ‘o’. Then she grinned. “Well. I’m Candela, leader of Valor. And you two…?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Spark,” The blond said, “I’m Instinct’s leader.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Blanche,” Blanche said, “Mystic.” Their head was spinning. It was all so much and so overwhelming.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Soulmates</span>
  </em>
  <span>, They thought dazedly.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Spark</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Spark had been the first one in. He’d chatted with Professor Willow for a bit before settling against the circle of seats. Electricity dashed through his veins, which was why he’d left Donglord with Go at the door as Zapdos stubbornly had staked out a corner of his mind. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It will happen soon</span>
  </em>
  <span>, It said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What will? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Spark asked, but Zapdos didn’t answer. Instead, one of the doors flew open.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please don’t destroy my doors,” Professor Willow said wearily, not even looking up from his spread of papers. The other leader - Valor, Spark assumed, judging from the red - just sent him a wink before she caught sight of Spark. Something glinted in her eyes, and when he blinked next, she was only a few steps away from him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, sweetie,” She said, eyes roving over him. Heat erupted in his thigh, not painful, though he would have stumbled if he wasn’t leaning on something. “Oh, I can already tell I’ll </span>
  <em>
    <span>like</span>
  </em>
  <span> you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He broke out in a slightly surprised grin. “Yeah, I know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes widened before she grinned too. “Well,” She said, hopping up to sit on a table, her movements smoothe like a cat’s. “This’ll be fun.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Just then the door swung open, and in walked the most breathtaking person Spark had ever seen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>...okay, that wasn’t fair to his newly-found soulmate. But where she was stunning and seductive, this person - the leader of Team Mystic? - was graceful and…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh. Oh wow,” He blurted out once he’d un-jaw-dropped, “You’re really beautiful.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They stopped, their Vaporeon settling besides them, blushing and ducking their head. “Th-...   thank you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Spark felt his eyes widen and cold race down his shoulder and had just enough time to think </span>
  <em>
    <span>OH</span>
  </em>
  <span> before his other soulmate slipped off the table and curled her arm around his. “Oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>hello</span>
  </em>
  <span> darling,” She purred, “Don’t worry about this one, he’s harmless.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His other </span>
  <em>
    <span>other</span>
  </em>
  <span> soulmate turned event redder and reached out to grasp a chair. “O-oh,” They stuttered, “I…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His other - this was getting confusing - soulmate’s face morphed into an expression of surprise, then rearranged itself into a grin. “Well,” She said, “I’m Candela, leader of Valor. And you two…?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Spark,” He said on autopilot, “I’m Instinct’s leader.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Blanche,” His other </span>
  <em>
    <span>other</span>
  </em>
  <span> soulmate said, “Mystic.” They looked like they might faint, and despite the feeling he was being electrocuted, Spark desperately wanted to reach out and steady them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So he did.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Candela</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The first thing Candela saw when she flung open the door was yellow. She blinked, and the yellow turned into a person. Professor Willow said something she tuned out as she tossed a wink his way, then sped over to the then-yellow-now-person. Her body felt like flames, and she thought, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe this is what Moltres meant.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, sweetie,” She said. She wasn’t subtle about checking him out. “Oh, I can already tell I’ll </span>
  <em>
    <span>like</span>
  </em>
  <span> you.” A good catch, if she said so herself, but he was probably a team leader, which could send relations into a </span>
  <em>
    <span>few</span>
  </em>
  <span> extremes…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He grinned. “Yeah, I know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Candela had just enough time to feel the surprise hit her - and, well, sit on a table, her palms feeling </span>
  <em>
    <span>electric</span>
  </em>
  <span> - when someone else entered. Her - one of her, she corrected herself - soulmate’s jaws dropped, and she watched with interest as this new person exchanged greetings with Professor Willow before turning towards them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Her yellow soulmate blurted, “Oh wow. You’re really beautiful.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She watched as the new person’s face turned a dark pink and watched them stutter out a thank-you as something registered on their face. Yellow Soulmate looked at them in surprise and awe, and she thought </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hmm, I wonder…</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She latched onto Yellow Soulmate’s arm with a grin. “Oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>hello</span>
  </em>
  <span> darling. Don’t worry about this one, he’s harmless.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dark pink turned to red and realization. “O-oh,” They said. “I…” The short words sent icy chills all over Candela’s forearm. Inwardly the satisfaction of being right rose and burned within her, and surprise still taking over outwardly. She grinned.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well,” She said, “I’m Candela, leader of Valor. And you two…?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Spark,” Yellow Soulmate said, “I’m Instinct’s leader.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Blanche,” Her - blue? Silver? - soulmate said quietly, leaning for support on a chair. “Mystic.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Aw, they’re shy</span>
  </em>
  <span>, She thought. Yellow- Spark, Spark reached out to steady them. Or so she thought, but he seemed surprised too when he pulled Blanche against him. Candela didn’t think it was possible for them to get any redder but they proved her wrong, a small smile gracing their face as they tried to hide their blush. Blanche’s Vaporeon that had come in with them settled underneath the abandoned chair. She crooned wordlessly, holding up a hand, and shyly, tentatively, they reached out and intertwined their long, elegant, </span>
  <em>
    <span>delicate</span>
  </em>
  <span> fingers with hers. Spark smiled at them both and squeezed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>At last</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Moltres whispered, </span>
  <em>
    <span>We are reunited.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She didn’t even hear it.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Comments and kudos appreciated!</p><p> </p><p>  <i> There's a corollary for friends. When you meet a true friend, you will be bound together though space and time for 500 years. (Doctor Spencer Reid, Criminal Minds) <i></i></i></p></blockquote></div></div>
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